In The Middle of the Night
by shugakukki
Summary: Jane is the secretary for Q Branch and is charged with helping Q get adjusted to life as the official Quartermaster after the bombing of MI6, but what exactly is her relationship with 007?
1. Chapter 1

The weeks after the explosion were chaos. Total chaos. For an organization that prides itself on its ability to handle even the toughest of situations, we felt totally unprepared. We had been blindsided, and it was like life was moving in slow motion. Now we found ourselves holed up in the old emergency bunkers.

My life has been in full chaos mode ever since. Our old Q was killed in the accident, so, as the secretary, I had become the go-to for everything in Q Branch. I clicked open the email box to begin reviewing the requests of all the different agents and departments that "desperately needed something from Q Branch." They're shared urgency was frustrating to say the least.

"Jane Bradley," I heard a voice behind me call out. I turned slightly to find Eve Moneypenny walking through the glass doors towards my desk. After the events in Istanbul, she had been assigned to desk duty, and while no one would ever say it outright, I think it's a better fit for her, not for lack of skill in the field, but for her exceptional ability to overhear and eavesdrop on everything. Her position assisting Mallory was priceless in terms of information she overheard.

"Eve," I grinned while turning back towards my computer station, "How's Mallory this fine morning?"

Eve rolled her eyes, and I laughed. "Mallory's meeting with M right now, so they've sent me down here to deliver the news."

I paused briefly before continuing to sort through emails and memos on my computer. "What kind of news?" I asked suspiciously.

"They've selected the new Quartermaster for Q Branch."

I quit typing and turned to face Eve, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Oh don't give me that look, Jane. You're the new secretary for Q Branch. It's generally considered necessary for the Quartermaster and his secretary to know one another."

"Eve, I'm the longest lasting secretary the Q Branch has ever had, and I've only been here seven years. The last Q had me running circles all day and the one before that basically had me running the department. There's a reason I'm not an active field agent. It's because my insatiable desire for a stressful environment is satisfied right here _._ "

Eve rolled her eyes and put her hands on my desk and leaned in close, "You're what keeps Q Branch going. M knows it, Tanner knows it, and soon the new Q will know it, too. I know you've tried to get reassigned away from Q Branch, but"

"But for now I'm just going to have to deal with it," I sighed. "I'm not avoiding it because I don't want to meet Q, I'm just completely overwhelmed right here." I looked up and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Alright, when am I meeting him?"

"M wants you to meet in her office in an hour. This one is different."

I opened my mouth to question her further, but we were interrupted by Mallory. "Moneypenny, we'll be on our way now."

Eve turned to Mallory, "yes sir, right away." She then turned back to me and with a stern look, raised one finger and said, "one hour," before hurrying up the stairs to meet Mallory.

 _Different? He's a Quartermaster. Aren't they all the same? Old men with a knack for creating useful knick-knacks?_

The dinging from my computer brought me back to attention, and I began to sort through emails once more while counting down the minutes.

 _James, where are you._

* * *

I walked up the stairs towards M's office and knocked three times before entering. M was sitting at her desk with her bloody bulldog that had become the joke of MI6. It could survive anything.

"Good morning, ma'am," I greeted with a small smile, which she returned. M had been exceptionally kind to me after the events that had taken place.

"Ah, good morning, Jane. Thank you for coming. If you'll have a seat the new Quartermaster will be here any moment."

I nodded at Tanner who sat in a chair adjacent to M's desk and took the seat next to him. I had worked with Tanner on numerous occasions and was his direct contact to Q branch, and he was my link to M. I was the one who called him to inform M about the breach in MI6 after the last Q and his people discovered it.

There was another knock at the door, and the new Quartermaster entered the office. _Yes, quite different indeed._ I'd never seen a Quartermaster without a suit, and I'd never seen a Quartermaster that looked as if he'd wandered out of university and into MI6 purely on accident.

 _Oh dear. He's so young. I'm going to need some tea after this. Some very strong tea._

"Mr. Boothroyd, please have a seat," M directed. "Mr. Boothroyd, I would like to introduce you to Jane Bradley. She's been with us now for seven years, and I can assure you that you'll find no one better."

 _Mr. Boothroyd? Sometimes I forget that each Q has an actual name._

"Yes, thank you, ma'am," the new Q said before turning towards me with an arm extended. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Bradley, I look forward to working with you."

I smiled and shook his hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Q."

M stood and looked down at the two of us. "Q, I want to make something very clear to you. I am quite fond of Jane, and she is very busy. She's exceedingly loyal, and has helped us through these past weeks immensely. Be fair."

Q nodded but looked slightly befuddled. "Yes, ma'am, of course."

M smiled, "That'll be all Mr. Boothroyd. Jane if you would stay behind a moment."

Q rose to leave and turned from M to face me once more, "I suppose I will be seeing you shortly?"

I nodded, "I'll be down as soon as I'm finished here." With that he turned and walked out the door pulling his maroon cardigan down as he went.

Once he was gone I turned to M and laughed, "He certainly seems to be quite different from the last Q doesn't he? He must be something spectacular to be the Quartermaster at his age. He can't be much older than I am."

M gave me a look. "Yes, I know he's very young, but he's quite capable I can assure you. One of the absolute best in the world if not _the_ best." She paused briefly, "Things in Q Branch are going to be different under him. You're going to need to help him along a bit. He's very internal, much more than the last Q was. Teach him to delegate. He's young and brilliant, but he is also young and inexperienced when it comes to leading others, though I don't think it will take him to long to figure it out."

"I'll do what I can to help him navigate his way. It's not my first time with a new Q."

"True," M said before staring me straight in the eye "Alright now down to business. Have you had any luck finding him?"

I smirked in return, "I've got a lead."


	2. Chapter 2

I walked out of M's office and past the rows of desks and MI6 agents and employees running around trying to keep track of intel and data. There was something about the old Churchill bunker that felt like home while also making you feel totally unsettled, particularly when it was draftier than normal. I continued past the brick walls until I arrived at the glass doors and made my way into Q Branch.

The Q Branch employees were all hard at work tinkering and hacking and repairing the broken equipment, though that happened a lot less frequently nowadays. I walked behind my desk and looked down at the stack of memos and papers that had been delivered during my time in M's office and sighed.

I looked up to see if Q was in the office and I caught sight of him at his new desk. It was slightly strange to have someone in the desk again, but also comforting. He was tinkering away at some sort of device with a red button that was quite obviously some sort of detonation device.

"What happens if I press the red button?" I asked coyly as I approached his desk with a grin.

"Sneak up on me like that again, and you won't have to wonder," he quipped back with a small eye roll. "How did the rest of your meeting with M go?"

"Quite well. I have a few things I'll need to discuss with you later to fully bring you up to speed. You'll probably be able to help me actually."

He set his tools and project down carefully and looked up at me. "Oh?"

"Yes, but we'll do that later." I started walking back to my desk. "I'm starving; have you eaten?"

"Erm...I….wha...Jane, where are you going?" Q stood up as I buttoned my jacket and pulled my bag onto my arm.

"Come on. I know a place."

* * *

At the restaurant, I walked Q to a corner booth in the back, shrugged off my coat, and took a seat. Q sat down in the chair across from me and a waitress dropped off two menus at out table.

"We won't be disturbed here. They know me pretty well, I used to work here when I was 16."

Q nodded his head and said, "Very good. Now, why exactly is it so important that no one disturb us?"

"Q, what kind of tea do you prefer? I prefer black."

Q smiled and said, "Earl grey."

"Perfect, I'll go put those in. Would you like a sandwich?"

"Um, yes, that'd be lovely, thank you."

I walked away to the counter and leaned across to tell the barista what we needed and returned to my seat.

I clasped my hands together and leaned forward. "Q, M has asked me to brief you quickly on exactly what it is that I do here for MI6."

He frowned. "You mean answer the phone and handle requests from other departments?"

I opened my mouth respond, but saw the waitress approaching with our food and tea so I quickly thanked her and turned back to Q.

"I'm not an average secretary. I attended university, and I'm trained as a remote sensing specialist, and I'm qualified for field duty."

"Jane, why are you telling me this," he said setting his tea back down.

"I'm looking for Bond."

Q furrowed his brow and tilted his head slightly, "Which is altogether an interesting thing for you to say considering he's most likely dead."

I laughed, "You don't know Bond, but I know you've heard the stories. M doesn't think he's dead, and neither do I. I know him. He's smart, and honestly I owe him a lot."

Q looked at me and took another sip of his tea not saying anything, but maintaining eye contact.

"Listen, I'm not telling you all this so that you think your secretary is going to flake out on you. I am first and foremost your secretary, and I will do anything and everything I can to help ensure that Q Branch runs smoothly. But please understand that I am very busy with not only this, but with everything that has happened since the explosion. We're a family here in Q Branch, but sometimes people forget that I'm not your mum nor your maid. I do a lot more than answer phones and sort through your mail, Q. This assignment, though one I'm willing to help with, ultimately comes as an order from M. Unauthorized of course"

Q nodded, "Yes, of course, I understand. Who would think to make sure the secretary isn't searching for an assumed dead agent.."

I smiled and sipped my tea. "Exactly," I glanced down at my wrist-watch, "Are you ready to head out?"

* * *

Q and I exited the restaurant and began to walk back towards MI6. We walked in silence for a while, both of us people watching and lost in our thoughts, when suddenly Q spoke. "You know," he began, "I never expected to get this position. I know I have the qualifications for it, but I'm so young. I was with MI5 working in their Q Branch equivalent. I heard about the opening and applied on a whim."

"Well clearly M saw something in you that impressed her," I replied. "What's your expertise in?"

Q chuckled. "Well I can do just about anything," he shot me a grin, "but I prefer to be on my computer. I like to program and hack and fortify firewalls and such."

I laughed. "So you're just a glorified computer nerd?"

"Are you really surprised? Of course, I love to tinker and invent, and I'm always looking to improve things, but yes. A cup of Earl Grey, my computer, and my cat are all I need to be content."

"You have a cat? Me as well. He's a cranky little thing. His name is Jack. He's a big fluffy grey monster," I said with a laugh.

Q smiled, "Mines a funny thing. She's always climbing on top of my work, but only if I'm doing something there," he said with exasperation evident in his tone, "I can be anywhere else in the apartment and she's nowhere to be seen. Her name's Amelia."

We had finally arrived back at MI6 and started through security. I walked through the scanner and flashed my badge with Q on my heels. We walked back into Q Branch and went towards our respective desks. I saw that the pile sitting there had grown and I started to sort through the mess that had been left for me.

I took a seat and started making piles of the mail and requests when suddenly I heard O'Connor, one of our newer recruits suddenly stand up. "Er, Q?"

Q looked up, "Yes?"

"I think Jones has gone and shot himself with the sleeping dart he was working on."

Q ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Well at least we know it works. Will someone call medical and get a cot for him?"

* * *

Hello readers! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! Please leave me some feedback, suggestions, things you like (or didn't like), etc! I really do appreciate it. I'm going to try to update at least once a week, but as my semester is winding down I don't have as much time as normal. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of the phone ringing violently pierced the silence of Q Branch and jolted me awake. I grabbed the phone quickly in an effort to stop the noise and rubbed my face. "Jane Bradley," I spoke into the phone in a raspy tone that made it clear I had been sleeping.

"Sorry to wake you ma'am," came the Irish voice on the other end of the line, "we're just doing security checks to make sure everything's all right."

"Oh, yes, of course, no, everything is fine. Just fell asleep doing some research for Q."

"Alright ma'am, we'll send someone around periodically to check on you."

"I appreciate it, thank you." I hung up the phone and raised my arms above my head to stretch. I glanced at the clock that read 2:30. _Lovely._ I sighed and slumped down in my chair and pursed my lips. Looking up I noticed that Q's desk lamp was on, but he wasn't anywhere around where I could see him. I stood up to stretch my legs and walked across the room to turn off his light. I glanced down at his desk and noticed a piece of paper with something labeled at the top. _007._

I paused and tilted my head. _What is this?_ I pulled the paper out and looked at it with surprise in my eyes. It was a list of names. I recognized some of them because they were a handful of Bonds travel aliases. But the rest? _They could be other aliases I suppose. But what is Q doing with a list of Bond's travel aliases, and what are those combinations….wait a minute...are those….no they couldn't be._

I walked back to my desk and began searching for inbound flights to London to see if any matched with the flight numbers Q had scribbled down. _Oh my heavens._ I stood abruptly and walked back to Q's desk and picked up the paper again. I stared at it for a minute until I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I immediately dropped the paper and turned around to see Q standing behind me. His hair was a mess and his cardigan wasn't buttoned all the way revealing his striped button down shirt.

"Q! I thought you'd gone! I was just coming over to turn off your light when I saw the-"

"Jane. It's fine. I just stepped out for a minute to wake myself up and walk around a bit. Do you know how hard it is to find a cup of Earl Grey around here? Quite difficult. Especially at this time of night. Anyway, that's all irrelevant," he said as he finished walking over to me. "I'm glad you're awake. I wanted to talk to you about that," he said pointing to the desk.

He reached past me to lean across his desk to grab some papers off the top pile. I could see the scruff growing on his face and neck. "Q, when's the last time you slept?"

He turned his face towards me in surprise. "Uh...I don't know. A couple of days ago? What does that have to do with anything?"

"You know that humans require sleep, yes? Are you human? Or are you denser?"

Q glared at me. "What an awfully disappointing use for that quote. Either way, you receive the requests from MI6, but who do you think completes the majority of them?"

I stopped for a moment. Of course. _He's picking up the slack so he doesn't overwhelm everyone else._

He stepped back and handed me something. "Are we going to talk about my sleeping habits, or are we going to talk about how Bond is scheduled to arrive in London tomorrow evening?"

"Q, are you sure? If there's anyone that can evade detection, it's James."

Q quirked an eyebrow before turning away from me. "James? A little personal don't you think?"

I frowned. "Are we going to talk about my relationship with James or are you going to tell me what you know?" I asked him and gave him a pointed look.

He sighed with resignation, "It's all right there. Have a look."

I started to pace around the room while I flipped through the pages as all the pieces began to fall into place. "He's been there all along, hasn't he?"

Q nodded and grabbed something off of his desk . "It would seem so." He started walking towards me. "If I'm right, this is his flight. He'll be here tomorrow." He pulled off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm quite certain," he said while putting his glasses back on.

"How certain?"

He looked me in the eye, "Call her. This can't wait until the morning."

I froze, and looked away from Q as my blood ran cold. I'd spent weeks looking for Bond. Weeks following false trails and rumors from former associates and contacts. Weeks of sleepless nights. Weeks of meetings with M. Weeks of no word from James. Weeks of wondering. Weeks of fear. And now here I was faced with the reality of it all. James was alive, and he was coming home. _He's coming home._ I looked back up at Q, "Alright."

I walked back to my desk and tried to pick my phone up, but had to steady myself for a moment; my hands were shaking too much to hold my phone. I took a series of deep breaths, looked up at Q who walked over to stand next to me and nodded, and went to pick up my phone again. I dialed M's number.

"Bradley. Why in God's name are you calling me at 3 in the morning?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry for the intrusion, I know it's early, but Q and I found something that you needed to know about immediately."

"Alright, get on with it."

"Bonds coming home."

There was a silence at the end of the line. "Ma'am?" I questioned.

"You're sure?"

I looked up at Q. "Sure enough to ring you at 3 am."

"Go home and clean up. Be back at the office by 7."

I heard the line go dead and looked up at Q. "She wants us to go home and get cleaned up. We're to be back by 7."

"Are you okay to be alone right now?"

I started walking around the desk to grab my coat and keys. "What? Yes, of course."

He blocked my way. "I don't believe you. Here, let me grab my things and we'll make a stop at both of our places." He turned towards his desk and then started walking towards the back to the filing cabinet in the corner. "Could you grab my jacket out of the bottom drawer?" He called back to me.

I walked behind his desk and opened the bottom drawer and pulled out his coat. I was surprised that there were shirts and slacks crammed into the drawer under where his coat had been. "Q, I know you said you don't sleep, but do you ever even go home?" I quipped.

"No. There's no time for that, and besides, there's a shower at the office gym I can use."

"If you're not careful you'll work yourself to death," I said with a cheeky grin.

Q rolled his eyes and looked at me exasperatedly, "I think I'll be fine. If it gets too bad I'll just shoot myself with a sleeping dart like Jones." He shut the drawer he had been rummaging in and walked back towards me. "Ready?"

I nodded. We began to walk towards the glass doors to exit Q Branch. I flipped the switch to shut off all but the safety lights. Q and I walked side by side towards the street exit of MI6 when suddenly a thought popped into my head. "Just one question, if you're here all the time, who feeds Amelia?"

* * *

Thanks for reading this far! Please leave a review with any comments, suggestions, or feedback! Feel free to message me anytime!


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to chapter 4! I appreciate you reading so very much! Thanks to all who have favorited and followed this story. Please leave a review for me! I love those (almost as much as y'all)!**

* * *

The night cold sunk deep into my skin despite my warm outerwear as I took a deep breath of air that filled my lungs with invigoration and made my senses come alive. Q shoved his hands into his coat pockets and I swear I could hear his teeth chatter.

I turned towards him, "Where are we going first? Your place or mine?"

"Let's stop by mine first and feed Amelia," he said with a straight face while I rolled my eyes. "Then we'll head over to yours and we can go from there."

"Lead the way."

We walked to the nearest tube station and sat down to wait for the next train. The station was all but empty except for some drunk students on their way home from a night out and an older gentleman with . . . unique company.

Suddenly a voice spoke up startling us both. "What are you two doing out at this time of night?"

I looked up and saw Tanner. "We could ask you the same thing."

He lifted up a grocery bag. "Wife's pregnant and had a late night craving for the tuna melt from that place that caters MI6 every 2nd Wednesday." He looked at us suspiciously. "Alright, spill. What's got you both sitting at the tube station at this time of night."

Q and I turned towards each other, and he opened his mouth to speak. "Just doing some late night work. Trying to get oriented and caught up, that's all."

I nodded in agreeance. "Q Branch has been overwhelmed. Ma'am should look into getting Q an assistant to handle some of this."

Tanner laughed, "Don't hold your breath on that one."

"Don't worry, I know better than that."

A train pulled into the station, and I looked at Q to see if it was ours, but he shook his head indicating that we had to wait a little bit longer.

Tanner turned towards the train and looked back at us. "This is me. I'll see you both in the morning. M wants me in earlier than normal. She said something about her wits and retirement." He gave us one last suspicious look before climbing onto the train.

Suddenly we were alone and the November night felt even colder. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. I turned to look at Q, "You really do look tired you know. I'm not just saying that; I'm genuinely concerned."

Q had a slight frown on his face and sighed. "I know. I need to do better, but there's just so much that needs to be done."

"Q, you don't have to prove yourself to anyone. You already have the job."

"Yes, I do, actually. I have to prove it to the agents like Bond and the other 00s that depend on me. I have to prove it to the staff. I'm younger than everyone except for you and O'Connor. I have to prove it to everyone who said I couldn't do anything from behind my computer screen." He paused. "But really, I just need to prove it to myself. Once I've done that I can sleep."

"How long will that take?"

"Let's see if Bond gets off that plane tomorrow and then ask me."

Another train pulled into the station, and this time Q stood and I followed him onto the train where we sat in silence for a few minutes before exiting the train. We turned left out of the station and walked down the street until we arrived at a 5 story brick building.

Q walked inside, and I followed.

"I'm afraid that the elevator is currently undergoing repairs. Something about it not being up to code, so I hope the stairs are alright."

"They're just fine."

We walked up towards his apartment with dim wall fixtures illuminating our path. "I know it looks a bit like a horror movie set now, but during the morning it lights up brilliantly," he said while gesturing towards the large windows on the right side of the hall. "Alright, here we are."

We had stopped at a door number 5D. It was black with a large brass handle and a peep hole. Q unlocked the door and held it open for me. I walked in and he reached around me to flip on the light illuminating the small, cozy space. The kitchen was on the immediate right; it had white cabinets with dark handles and looked as if it hadn't been used in weeks. There was a small cherry wood table with newspapers littering the surface. Straight ahead there was a large TV screen and a brown sofa that had large pillows and blankets tossed haphazardly over the arm.

Q stepped into the kitchen while I walked in towards the couch. I slipped my jacket off and draped it over the arm of the couch. "Have a seat, I'm going to put some more food into Amelia's bowl. It's an interesting contraption actually, it puts food into her bowl twice a day all I need to do is—." Q's voice was becoming increasingly distant until it ceased to register in my mind anymore.

The next thing I knew I was being shaken awake. _Where am I?_ I realized that I was laying on Q's couch and there was a warm blanket draped over me. Bleary eyed I sat up and looked at Q. "What time is it?" I rasped.

"It's just after 4:30. You feel asleep on the couch so I decided to let you sleep while I showered and changed clothes." He smiled and pointed to the end of the couch, "looks like Amelia has taken quite a liking to you."

I smiled and reached my hand down to scratch the head of the tabby. "Should we head out?" I pushed the blanket off of me and stretched. Standing up I folded my arms immediately missing the warmth of the blanket. "Thanks for letting me sleep for a bit." He nodded and went to grab his coat.

"Ready to head out?" Q asked.

"Yeah," I said getting up from the couch. I grabbed my jacket and slipped it on over my head. I grabbed my scarf and began to wrap it around my neck when I noticed Q's still wet hair. "You do realize that your hair is likely to freeze outside, yes?"

"I appreciate your concern for my hair, but I think I'll be fine."

"Oh no, I'm not concerned at all. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that you're crazy."

Q rolled his eyes and opened the door. "After you." He quickly locked the door behind him, pulled his jacket over his striped turtleneck, and we walked down the stairs to the front of his building. "Which way?"

"This way," I said pointing to the right. "I'm just a few blocks over."

By the time we arrived I was quite sure that Q was just moments away from pieces of hair snapping off so the blast of heat we got walking in the door was more than welcomed. We took the elevator up to the third floor and walked down to my door, 314. I opened the door, walked in and flipped on the light.

"Jack!" I called out and heard the bells from Jack's collar signaling to me that he was on his way.

"Your cat responds to his name?" Q questioned, surprised.

"He thinks he's a dog." Q quirked an eyebrow as Jack came around the corner and I picked his fat, fluffy body. "A very fat, cranky dog."

"Charming."

I scratched Jack's head, "come on pussy, let's get you some food." I turned back to Q, "Go ahead and make yourself at home. I swear I'll be quick." I put some food in Jack's bowl and darted to the bathroom to turn on the water. I showered quickly and changed my clothes. I pulled out my hair dryer and snarkily called down the hall to Q with a cheeky grin on my face. "When I'm finished with the dryer would you like to use it?"

Q's voice rang out from the living room, "You're so very charming, did you know?" I could practically feel him rolling his eyes.

I finished drying my hair and checked the time. 5:40. I grabbed my bag and walked down the hall to find Q sitting on the couch with Jack sitting on the floor across the room staring at him. "Any more word from M?"

"None. What do you want to do until we have to be back at MI6?"

"Let's go grab some coffee. I'm out here, and I'm going to need it if I'm going to survive this bloody day."

With a final head scratch for Jack, we made our exit and wandered out into the cold once more.


	5. Chapter 5

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"This coffee is shit. Do you think they have decent tea?" Q asked.

"Really? That's what you're concerned with right now?" Q shrugged his shoulders. "Well I certainly doubt their tea is worth the money. Try a muffin instead," I suggested.

I wrapped my coat around me tighter as the door opened and a gust of cold air blew in. I looked down at the untouched mug in front of me and began to stir in some cream. "Q?"

I looked up and saw him looking at me so I continued. "Why are you helping me? You haven't been here very long, and you certainly don't know me very well. You have a million other things to do."

Q leaned back in his chair and looked up and the ceiling. "I'm quite a fan of loyalty and trust. I believe that in any setting, those are the two most important qualities you should have. You should always have someone to count on and someone to confide in in any sort of relationship whether it be romantic, work," he paused and looked at me, "or something else." He took off his glasses and began to clean the lenses. "For whatever reason, I have a good feeling about you, and I'm going to hope that, through all of this, you might develop that same trust for me."

I nodded my head and sat back in my chair, thinking. I wasn't used to people going out of their way to help me. I was used to doing that. James had done that for me, but that all started because it felt, to him, like paying a debt. "I do. At least I think I do, and if I don't, I know that I will." Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true; I did trust him. But, as we looked up at each other for a moment I knew I couldn't tell him, at least not in a 'just-a-friend' way. Now wasn't really the time think about that, anyway.

Q took a sip of his coffee before standing. "I think I will have a muffin. Would you like anything?"

I shook my head and he walked to the counter. Oh heavens today is going to be long.

Q walked back the table with his muffin in a to go bag. "Shall we?"

* * *

Walking down the street there was hardly anyone out yet. I assumed anyone on their way to work was taking the tube, but really, most people wouldn't be commuting for another hour or so. It was still mostly dark outside with only the lampposts illuminating our way. We were able to make it through security in almost no time at all. The main room was almost entirely empty save for a couple of interns trying to catch up on work and security guards that were waiting for their replacements to come in so they could get some sleep. I looked up towards M's office and was surprised to see Mallory there talking to M. I turned to Q and gave him a look of confusion. Eve was standing just outside the door, and when I caught her eye she left the room and came down the stairs to where Q and I were standing.

"Q. Jane," she said to each of us as she approached us. "What are you doing here?"

Q and I shared a look before I responded, "We have a meeting with, M. Just trying to take care of the volume of requests that we've been receiving. Figure if we give people a little more bureaucracy to work through they'll be more inclined to solve their own problems and take better care of their equipment."

Eve laughed. "I'm quite certain that Q Branch is the most stressful place to work in MI6. Perhaps you two should take some time off to destress. Might I suggest field work?"

I smiled and Q gave a quick, tight smile. I had forgotten how awkward he could be when he wasn't well acquainted with someone. I had known him for several weeks now, but he had only met Eve once or twice, and only in passing. "I think I might have to pass on that. Besides, I don't know how Q Branch would manage if I up and left. Who would remind them to tie their shoes or straighten their cardigans?" I smiled and gave Q a little nudge to let him know I was joking.

Q gave a little huff and said, "I'm quite certain we could find some way to manage."

"Mhmm, Sure," I said dismissively. I looked back at Eve. "Do you know how much longer they'll be?"

Eve frowned. "No idea, but Mallory's already late to a meeting, and they've been in there for an hour."

I heard footsteps in our direction and saw Tanner walking towards us. "Sorry, Moneypenny, but I need to steal these two away for a bit."

Eve eyed us suspiciously. "What are you three up to?"

I smiled secretively, shrugged my shoulders, and turned to follow Tanner and Q out of the room and towards Q Branch. "Tanner, what's going on?"

"Sorry about that, Jane. M only barely briefed me and gave me instructions when Mallory showed up. He called this morning demanding to meet with her. They're getting very serious about shutting down the 00 program. Anyway, what do we know exactly?"

Q grabbed the papers off his desk and handed them to Tanner. "Turns out he's been in Turkey this whole time. He never left; he's been in retirement, playing dead."

"He's expected to arrive sometime around 9 o'clock this evening," I interjected. "He's using one of aliases, Thomas Wilson, to board the flight. Knowing James, he'll probably go straight to M's place."

Tanner nodded. "That's what I would expect from Bond. 007 is nothing if not loyal to M. Should I post extra security?"

"No, they'll be fine. He might be a bit out of shape, but I hardly think he's gone mad."

"Alright, will you two be sure to keep an eye on the security cameras to make sure he boards the plane? There's no need getting excited over nothing. I've already alerted Heathrow to look out for him and report to us if they see him. M's already at the end of her wits, the last thing she needs is him causing her a heart attack in her home tonight."

I laughed. "Oh, I highly doubt he'll be an unexpected visitor. She knows him well enough to know that he'll come to her. He's probably been planning on making his way back to London since the bombings, but he's smart. He knows he's got enemies that are always looking for him. No one truly dies in this business. He had to wait until he knew he could leave relatively unnoticed. I thought he'd leave Turkey and go somewhere more crowded where he could blend in; I didn't expect him to stay there and make camp on some beach."

Tanner, straight faced as ever, looked at Q. "Do make sure that this one stays focused today, yeah?"

"Well I don't know if I'm the man for the job, but I'll certainly do my best. MI6 hasn't stopped operations just because 007 has decided to return, and I know that someone is bound to botch something up today." Q rolled his eyes. "Some people's children. Honestly," he said, exasperated.

"Keep me posted." And with that, Tanner turned and exited Q Branch.

Q and I stood facing each other for a moment, each of us lost in our thoughts when Q broke the silence. "He's not stressed at all, is he?"

"Well, I certainly can't blame him."

Q opened his mouth, shut it, and opened it again, "How do you think Bond is going to take it once he realizes that all his things have been put into storage?"

I shrugged. "Well if he gets too upset we've always got some extra sleeping darts lying around, don't we?"

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	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

* * *

I sat at my desk biting my lip. Sitting was better than the pacing I had been doing earlier, but I couldn't focus on anything right now. I kept looking up at Q every few minutes, and every time he never looked up, but always said, "Still nothing." After a few hours of this, I was starting to get anxious, and, frankly, I think I was making everyone in Q Branch feel a little on edge too. At one point Q had to ask me to stop snapping at the interns that were delivering interdepartmental memos and requests. I was only a little stressed. Were we wrong? Had we missed something? Was this exactly what James had planned?

Suddenly Q stopped typing on his computer. "He's on the plane." I looked up, wide-eyed.

"You're certain?" He had to be certain.

"Absolutely. I'm contacting Tanner as we speak," Q said as he typed quickly on his computer.

"Show me." I got up and walked across the room to stand behind him at his desk as he replayed the camera footage for me. There he was. After months of wondering, James was walking onto a plane, and walking back into my life.

I stood back and put my hands on my hips. "Well I guess we'd better get ready, hadn't we?"

"What exactly do we need to do to get ready?" Q said as he turned around in his chair to look at me.

"Well he's going to need a place to stay, and he's likely to need some new clothes."

"Should I look into getting him a hotel reservation?"

I started to walk back to my desk. "Of course not, he'll stay with me."

I turned back around when I heard something knock over from behind me and saw that Q had accidently pushed a stapler off the edge of the desk. Q's face turned red and he quickly picked it up and looked up at me. "You never did tell me how exactly you know 007."

I smiled softly. "We've known each other for a few years. We have a mutual friend."

Q looked slightly embarrassed for a moment. "I hope you don't think me too out of bounds, but what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Bond?"

"He helped me out during a difficult time. He's a really important friend."

Q seemed relieved, which made me smile. I looked at my wristwatch. "What time is James supposed to land?"

"Erm, let me check. . . . If he arrives on schedule, he should land at 8:30 this evening."

"Well, I guess I'd better get going so I can clean up and get things ready for him. I'll need to run a few errands, certainly." I paused and looked at Q. "Is it alright with you if I take off a bit early today?

"Yes, that should be fine. I'm sure we'll be able to manage for an afternoon without you."

I laughed. "I'm not so sure about that. Just try not to burn the place down. Luckily for you half the branch is out on lunch."

Q smirked. "I sent half the branch home after they emailed me saying they were too afraid to come to your desk to submit their work. After they saw you interacting with the interns from HR they decided it would be better to wait."

I sheepishly looked down. "That's fair. I've been pretty anxious."

"Yes, I'd certainly say so. Jane, go home. Do what you need to; 007 will be here soon. I'll be sure to call you when I know more."

Pulling on my coat, I slung my bag over my shoulder and logged out of my computer. I waved goodbye to Q with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." Q, who had an oddly contemplative look on his face, simply nodded in response. I walked out of Q Branch, but before I could get to the exit of MI6, I paused and turned back to Q Branch.

Q looked up, surprised, when I walked back inside. "Forget something, Jane?"

I walked up to Q, bent down, and planted a light kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for helping me when you didn't have to. I know you're busy, and this is just another thing on your plate, so I appreciate this more than I can say. Thank you for trusting me."

Q looked exceedingly flustered. "It's my pleasure. Really."

I smiled. "Alright. I'm leaving for real this time. I'll see you tomorrow." I walked to the doors and turned around to see Q staring at me. "I promise that there isn't anything romantic between me and James if you're worried. However, I'm free for dinner Thursday evening if you need more convincing." With that, I sent a wink towards Q, and started for home.

* * *

I was browsing the aisles of the market trying to decide what to buy. _Does he drink skim or 2% milk? Does he drink milk? Is he lactose intolerant?_ I shook my head. No, of course he wasn't lactose intolerant. Just buy the damn milk. I then proceeded to repeat the same process with cereal, coffee, and biscuits. I made a quick stop at a local clothing store to get some spare clothes to hold James over for a few days before heading back to my flat.

"Jack, I'm home!" The grey kitty came sauntering into the kitchen where I was putting things away and I rolled my eyes at his attitude. "Let's get you some food, huh?" I quickly filled up his bowl and scratched his head before getting back to work.

I put everything away, and filled up a watering can. I walked over to the pots where I kept my various herb plants. I liked to make my own tea, and usually the plants were outside on the balcony, but lately it had been too cold and too blustery, so I brought them inside.

I walked around the apartment straightening things up, and making the bed. I did some laundry and made sure there were fresh towels. Eventually I walked to the microwave and threw in a dinner to heat up while I sat down on the couch and looked for something to watch to pass the time.

Around 9 my phone rang. "Q?"

"Hello, Jane. James just cleared customs and is en route to, what I strongly suspect, is M's home."

"Thanks for keeping me updated. I appreciate it."

"Of course," Q said. He paused for a second. "Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need any help or...anything?"

I smiled and bit my lip. "I'm alright. I think I've got everything ready to go."

"Good, good. Just one more quick thing. Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences?"

"No, why?"

"I've got to impress on the first date, haven't I? Can't take a vegetarian to a steakhouse." I laughed, and was, quite frankly, mildly surprised that he even brought that up. "Take care, Jane. Please call if you need anything."

"I will. Goodnight, Q."

I hung up the phone, and leaned back on the couch. Jack jumped into my lap and stared at me expectantly. He began to purr as I pet him, and I turned my attention back to the television. At 10 I got a message from M telling me that James had left her home. I began to get a bit anxious again. At 10:20 I started to pace, and at 10:33 I heard a soft knock at the door.

I flung the door open to see James standing there with his blue eyes shining brightly against his ragged appearance. He had a small smile on his face as he walked into my flat and dropped his bag on the ground.

"Hello, Jane. It's been a while."

My eyes felt moist as I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him. "James, I hope you enjoyed retirement because you're never allowed to do that again."

He stroked my hair and chuckled. I could feel the deep rumble in his chest and it was wonderfully comforting. "I promise." He stepped back from me, and I wiped my eyes.

"Do you need to eat? Are you tired? Want some coffee?"

"All I need's a shower and a place to sleep."

"Well luckily I've been expecting you. Arrangements are all the same as usual."

He smiled at me. "Perfect." Jack rubbed against his leg, and James bent down to scratch his head. "Still have that damn cat I see."

"I know you've got a soft spot for Jack." I said as I walked into the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee.

I turned around to see Jack lying on his back purring. I could faintly hear James whispering to him. "Hey there, pussy. Miss me?"

"I'm really glad you're home, James. I missed you. You're all I've got."

James stood up. "You know I couldn't have stayed away forever."

"Not forever, no. But you certainly stayed away too long for my liking."

"Well I don't plan on leaving again without contact." He walked over to me and grabbed my coffee, helping himself to a long sip. I rolled my eyes. "I think I will take some coffee. I'm certain that I've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow, and I'm sure Q Branch is as messy as ever." He started walking down the hall towards the spare room. "How's the new Quartermaster?"

I couldn't help but smile a little bit thinking of Q and his perpetual bedhead. "I'm sure you'll meet him soon. He's quite special." James turned to raise an eyebrow at me. "Goodnight, James."

* * *

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	7. Chapter 7

My alarm went off in the morning with a sharp beeping sound that managed to break through my deep sleep. Groggily, I reached out and turned my alarm off trying to pretend that it wasn't morning already. I sat up and rubbed my face and started looking around for a sweatshirt to throw on to lessen the effect of the morning chill. I pulled back the covers and stood up. I could smell the coffee pot down the hall and knew that James was up; probably ready to go, and maybe already gone.

I walked down the hallway to pour myself a cup of coffee and to feed Jack. I saw James sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and sipping his coffee. I smiled. "Sleep well?"

He grunted. "I forgot how cold London can get during the winter."

"Spend enough time drinking in Turkey, and I'm sure there are a lot of things you can forget."

James gave me a frightening side eye. "Spend enough time drinking in Turkey and you realize that there are some things no amount of drinking can make you forget."

I leaned against the counter and stared at James. He had seen things and done things that would scar him forever, but he was tough. "Luckily you don't have to remember alone."

James smiled. "I've got to meet Tanner on the bridge. I've got some tests to pass today. And I've got no bloody idea where I'm going."

"I'll see what I can do about getting your things moved into a new flat today."

James smirked. "I enjoy Chelsea." He walked over, gave me a kiss on the forehead, and headed for the door.

I sighed. "Of course you do."

He opened the front door before turning back around. "One more thing. The hair, is it bedhead or is it just a new look?"

I rolled my eyes and started walking towards the bathroom to get ready. "Get the bloody hell out of my house, Bond." I could hear the sound of laughing as the door shut behind James. I looked into the mirror and cringed. My hair was a complete disaster. It looked like I'd spent the night running through the forest before inviting a family of seagulls to come nest. I sighed and got to work.

* * *

An hour later I was walking into MI6 towards Q Branch when I suddenly froze. I couldn't go in there. I had kissed my boss. I had a _date_ with my boss in two days. I turned wildly until I caught sight of Eve walking towards the break room.

"Moneypenny!" I called after her and took off in her direction. She turned towards me and smiled.

"Morning, Jane! I just finished showing 007 to his test proctors." I grabbed her and started pulling her into an empty hallway.

"Yes, James, great. Look, Eve. I've got a problem."

"Oh? Does it have anything to do with our endearing Quartermaster?"

"Wait, how did you-?"

"Dan from security saw your little display of affection, and you know that security has the biggest bunch of gossips in all of MI6. Besides, it's my job to know things about the goings on here."

"Oh lovely. How many people know about that?"

She laughed and smiled widely. "Just me, Tanner, and M. Tanner wasn't surprised, and it seems quite charming to me."

"M knows?" My eyes widened. "Perfect. Just what I need." I mimicked M's voice. "Jane, I hear you're shagging our Quartermaster."

I barely caught when Eve mumbled under her breath. "Not yet, anyway."

"What was that?" I gave her an evil look.

"Nothing." She grinned. "I'm practically convinced M is dancing around her office right now with glee. You know she worries about you."

"What a sight that would be. Anyway, here's the thing. We have a date on Thursday."

She gasped. "You and M?"

"Yes, of course." I rolled my eyes. "No you idiot. Me and Q."

"He asked you out? Does James know?" She smirked at me.

"Well, no. Not exactly."

"To what? Q asking you or James knowing?"

"Both. I told Q I wasn't dating James and that I was free Thursday night. He called later with an update on James, and asked if I had dietary restrictions. _Dietary restrictions._ I think James suspects, but I haven't explicitly said anything. There hasn't really been a good time."

"Oh that's _such_ a Q thing to say. I'd expect nothing less. He seems to be quite concerned and practical like that."

"Practicality is one of his strongest traits, certainly. But, Eve, how am I supposed to go in there and act normal. I'm getting anxious just thinking about it. Oh gosh I think I need to sit down."

Eve grabbed my shoulders. "Jane. You need to calm down. It's Q; you _know_ him. I'm sure he's anxious, too."

"I know you're right, but right now it feels like my heart is going to pound out of my chest. Maybe I should take a sick day."

Eve looked at me sternly. "Absolutely not. You're going to Q Branch and do your job. It's Q and you're fine. Now get on with it."

"Yes, ma'am." I turned back towards Eve who was standing with her hands on her hips. "Do I look flushed?"

She rolled her eyes. "Go."

I sighed and turned to walk towards Q Branch. This time, however, I actually went inside. I looked around at the other Q Branch nerds and smiled in appreciation. What a unique bunch of interesting people. I frowned when I realized that the most interesting of them all wasn't there. There was a cup of unfinished tea on his desk, so I assumed that he must have stepped out for a moment.

I walked to my desk and started researching flats. Of course James would want a flat in Chelsea. I could expect nothing less. I was looking at the price of the homes in shock. _How much does a 00 agent make exactly? Clearly I need the name of his stockbroker._ After finding a suitable spot for James, I sent in my request to HR to have the property acquired and have James' things taken out of storage and moved into the new flat.

I checked the time and realized Q had been out for at least 2 hours. A middle aged woman named Joanna sat at the desk closest to mine. I rolled my chair over to her. "How long before I came in did Q leave?" I whispered to her.

She looked around and whispered back to me. "Around 8 he got up in a hurry and said he had to do something. Very vague, but he said that you had just come in through security and would be here soon."

"Damn him. That sneaky devil checked my security timestamp."

"Even a blind man can see that he's quite taken with you. And even if he couldn't see it, I'm sure he could sense the pheromones rolling off of him."

"That bloody Quartermaster is avoiding me." I smiled at Joanna. "Thank you, Jo." I rolled back to my desk and started clicking my pen.

 _So he's avoiding me, huh? Well, that simply won't do. If I can show up, he bloody better be here, too._

I walked out and saw Tanner talking to an agent from the drug trafficking initiative that we had with MI5.

"Tanner. Agent Ackerman. Sorry for the interruption." I looked at Tanner directly. "Bill, have you seen Q?"

He looked surprised. "Last I heard he was fixing a server problem in the accounting department."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. Q is fixing that? Q?"

Tanner nodded. "I was surprised. Thought he'd send Peterson to do something so mundane. With Bond back I'd have thought he'd be busy making exploding pens or shoes with tasers."

"Shoes with tasers? Really, Tanner. This isn't the CIA."

He gave me a look and I sighed. "Sorry to have taken up your time, I'll let you two get back to your chat."

I walked away towards accounting. _I've got a Quartermaster to deal with._

* * *

 **Thanks, everyone, for reading! I appreciate it so much! Please let me know if you're liking this story, if you have any feedback or suggestions!**


	8. Chapter 8

Here's Chapter 8! Enjoy!

* * *

I walked down the exposed-brick hall and took the old stairs down a level to get to accounting. All the stairs in the new digs made the elevator seem absolutely royal. I walked towards the accounting department when I saw the secretary, Diana, and stopped.

"Good morning, Di!" I said cheerfully as I approached her desk.

"Morning, Jane. What brings you down here? It's not time for payroll yet."

"I heard a little rumor floating around that Q was down here fixing a server problem. Have you seen him?"

"We've got a problem all right, but Peterson's the one who's been working on it, not Q. He'd never spend time dealing with that. Looks like you got some bad information." She looked puzzled. "What's going on, Jane?"

I huffed in annoyance at Tanner, Q, and the whole bloody situation. "The damn Quartermaster has been avoiding me all morning. I can't seem to find him everywhere."

"Why on God's green earth would Q be avoiding you?"

"Erm, personal reasons. Thanks, Diana, you've been a great help."

Her eyebrows shot up. "See you later."

I turned and walked back up the stairs. I stopped in Q Branch, but Jo informed me they still hadn't seen him. The problem with finding Q is that he really had no reason to be anywhere _but_ in Q Branch unless he was with M, which I knew he wasn't. I had run out of ideas of places to check, when I realized exactly where I needed to go.

* * *

The door was labeled "Security" in bold black print. I knocked three times before opening the door. Security was a relatively quiet place. Our security team took turns rotating between the different stations and camera watch. There as one person I could always count on to be on camera watch, and that was Dan.

I walked through the dim lights until I came to his desk.

He looked up and smiled. "Ah, Miss Bradley! What you brings you up here to see me?" He was the head of our team, and was getting close to retirement. He had grey hair and crinkles by his eyes when he smiled.

"Dan," I started. "You know more about what goes on here than anyone."

He nodded. "I'd say so. I stare at those monitors all day."

"I also know that you aren't supposed to discuss what you see."

"No, ma'am."

"That being said, I know you told a dear friend of mine, Miss Eve Moneypenny, about something that went on in Q Branch last night."

He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Oh, just get on with it, Jane. What do you want to know?"

I smiled. "It seems I've lost our Quartermaster, and I would much appreciate it if you could point me in his direction."

He smirked at me. "Last I saw, he was down in the auto garage sprucing up the new arrivals."

"Thank you, Dan. I'll be sure to get you something nice for Christmas."

With that I exited security and headed down to the auto garage. _You know, if I had one of those fitness trackers, with all this running around I'm doing, I'd be so fit._

I flashed my badge to Charlie, the security officer in front of the auto garage, and walked inside. I saw Q facing away from me talking to someone and pointing at the car. I walked up next to Q quietly, and put my hand on his shoulder.

He turned to face me and jumped in surprise. "Jane!" His face was taking on a slight hint of pink, and he looked flustered. "What're you doing down here? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing's _wrong_ exactly. I'm just a little confused."

"Well, yes, me, too. You never come down here."

"Yes, and that's probably why you're here in the first place."

He sighed and turned to the man he had been talking to. "You've got notes on what we discussed, yes? And be sure to check the ammunition stock. I'll be back down later to check how it's going." He turned back to me and nodded his head to the small office in the corner. He held the door open for me and touched the small of my back as I walked inside guiding me to the chair. He sat down on the desk and looked at me.

"Can you blame me for being a little nervous?"

"No, I just thought you'd realize that I'm nervous, too."

"I don't know, I just figured you'd be busy with other things, and whatever's going on here wouldn't be near the top of your worry list."

I laughed. "Q, I have enough space on my worry list to fit everything I could ever need. And, for the record, I haven't been on a date in a long time, so I'm terrified. On top of that, I have a date with my _boss,"_ I said gesturing to him.

"Well, I've certainly never taken out my secretary before, so this is a new experience for us both."

"You've never had a secretary before."

"I said it was a new experience, didn't I?"

I laughed and he smiled at me. "I'm not so worried anymore."

"Good. How's 007?"

"He seems as well as ever. He's very hard to read, but I think he'll be just fine. Might take him a bit to get back in the swing of things, but he'll make it."

"We've gotten quite a bit busier today. Bond has a reputation for expecting the best equipment. He's been quite spoiled in the past, you know, so we're trying to fortify the equipment to make it last longer than half a mission."

I laughed. "Last year, a quarter of our budget was spent on repairing his equipment. He's the reason we're allotted so much money."

"I have a feeling I'm going to need some more tea. This day is just so exciting." He stood up and straightened his cardigan, being careful to look down and check all the buttons. _Well that's just wonderful and charming._ "Shall we head back upstairs?"

I nodded, and we walked back towards the main level. We were headed for Q Branch when Tanner called my name. I turned to Q. "I'll catch up." He nodded and kept walking.

I walked towards Tanner. "Thanks for telling me Q was in accounting."

He looked at me as sheepishly as he probably could. "Just trying to help another bloke out."

I shook my head. _Men._ "No matter; what's going on?"

"Bond just had his psych eval."

"They clearly waste no time. How'd he do?"

"Well he called M a bitch, so to say the least it wasn't his best show."

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"Jane, what's Skyfall?"

I froze. "Excuse me?"

"Skyfall. They did word associations and he shut down and left when they said Skyfall."

"They should have left that alone. They should have known better."

"What is it exactly? The only one who seemed to have a clue was M."

"No one needs to know. It's private. I don't even know everything. He'll talk about it if he wants to, and he's never wanted to so I doubt he's suddenly going to want to now."

He nodded. "Alright. He's probably going to fail."

My heart sank. "I'm not surprised. I guess I hoped he'd be able to pull through."

"We all did. Anyway, I've got to get back to M."

I sighed and walked back to Q Branch. _I need some Ibuprofen to deal with all of this._ I made a quick stop at Joanna's desk. "You'll never guess where I found him?"

She quit working and turned to me. "Where?"

"The auto garage. I had to go talk to Dan from Security to find him."

"The garage? He rarely ever goes there."

"I know. Exactly. Just thought I'd give you the update."

I checked my email and saw that HR had approved the request and had sent everything over to the new flat. I quickly emailed James about it, and told him I'd be over later with dinner so he didn't burn the place down on his first night.

 _Only 3 more hours._

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for how long this took to get out! I've been super busy with finals and projects! Enjoy, and leave a review!

* * *

 **Wednesday came and went, and before I knew it, Thursday was upon us. James was settling in as well as expected to his new apartment, and was almost done with testing. Q had started working on some special projects M wanted commissioned for him. I was sitting at my desk twiddling tapping my pencil against the edge of the desk waiting for it to be an acceptable time to leave so I could go home and get ready. The clock hit 5, and I immediately jumped up and grabbed my coat.**

I walked over to Q's desk as I wrapped my scarf around my neck. I grabbed a pad of paper and scribbled a note telling him I was heading out for the day and that I'd see him tonight. I smiled to myself as I laid it down on his desk before heading out the door.

I was walking towards the exit when I saw Eve and Bill whispering to each other while it appeared M and Mallory were having a meeting. Not having time to stop and chat I waved goodbye until I noticed how secretive they looked.

"Alright, you two. What do you know?" I questioned them.

Eve and Tanner shared a look quickly, and then Eve spoke up. "Nothing, just gossiping about M and Mallory."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You're a rotten liar. Anyway I've got to run, but don't just stand there, it looks suspicious. I'll see you tomorrow."

I started walking away when Eve called out coyly. "Have fun tonight, Jane."

My face flushed slightly and my stomach erupted in butterflies at the thought. Luckily it was windy when I left MI6, so any flush in my cheeks could be attributed to the chill.

* * *

7:30 rolled around, and there was a knock at the door. My heart was racing slightly, and I grinned when I opened it to reveal Q who was standing there with a nervous smile and fidgeting with his blue pullover.

"Jane, you look lovely."

"Thanks, Q. You don't look too bad yourself." I winked at him and I swore he turned red. "Ready?"

"If you are."

I grabbed my coat and threw my bag over my shoulder. "Let's go."

I turned on a light for Jack before locking the door behind me. "So, where are we going," I asked as we walked down the stairs.

"Well, I've seen something from your past, so I thought I'd show you something from mine."

"Oh? I'm intrigued. Afterall, I don't even know your first name."

He laughed, "All in due time. But first, dinner."

The wind whipped around us blowing my hair haphazardly. "Dinner sounds wonderful; I'm starving."

"We're not too far off. I hope you like Chinese."

"I love Chinese."

He seemed to sigh a little and I smiled slightly to myself. We walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes just enjoying the lamplight shining on the pavement and the swirl of leaves on the sidewalk. I was caught in my thoughts when I suddenly felt Q grab my hand. I looked up at him and he caught my eye briefly before looking away.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

I intertwined our fingers and smiled. "It's perfect."

* * *

An hour and a half later we walked out of the Chinese restaurant.

I stretched and let out a groan. "Oh heavens, I've never felt more stuffed in my life."

Q laughed. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Liked it? Oh gosh, that's the best Chinese I've ever had outside of China."

He smiled and grabbed my hand. "Good."

"Okay, Mr. Quartermaster, where are we going?"

"We, my dear, are going somewhere that I have spent many, many hours."

"I'm excited."

"You should be."

We had been walking for just a short while before I realized we were near his flat. "You're not taking me back to your place are you?" I teased him, but the thought made butterflies erupt inside me.

"No, no. Not on a first date at least. We're just half a block away now."

I looked up as we approached a shop with a sign overtop that read "Boothroyd Books" in bold, black print.

"Your uncle owns a bookshop?" _How entirely lovely._

"It was my first job." He pushed the door open and the bell attached dinged. "Uncle William?" Q called out.

A tall, heavyset man with a head of thick gray hair came wandering out from the shelves.

"Geoffrey! Weren't expecting to see you here today!" He spoke in a gruff tone of voice as he embraced Q, clapping him on the back. He looked at me. "Who's this?"

Q put his hand on my back. "This is Jane. We work together, and I wanted to show her around."

William smiled broadly and turned back towards the store. "Maggie, Geoff's brought a girl!"

Q groaned. "Oh now you've done it." He bent down to whisper in my ear. "Careful, she might talk your ear off."

A short, plump woman with curly blonde hair came up and gave Q a tight hug. "Geoffrey, it's so good to see you. You should come around more often."

"I know I should. Once things calm down more at work I'll come in more." Q gestured to me. "Aunt Maggie, this is Jane."

She turned to me and immediately hugged me. "It's wonderful to meet you dear." She pulled back and looked at Q. "Now, I know you think I talk too much, so I won't keep you." She started walking away. "Come on Will, leave them alone."

Q started leading me through the rows of books. "I used to spend all my time here. It's where I became interested in coding and building things, actually." We started up the stairs to the second floor of books. "We keep the rarer finds up here with the classic novels and used books. I've got a little nook up here."

"Q, this is really fantastic."

"I certainly think so." We approached a corner of the shop with a brown leather couch, a coffee table with rings that I assumed were from Q and his tea, and a small shelf.

I sat down on the couch and looked up at Q. "So, Geoffrey, huh?"

He rolled his eyes and sat down next to me, a ratty book in his hand. "Oh, shut up."

I nudged his shoulder with mine and he smiled at me. "What's this?"

"This is the book that changed my life. It's the first time I was ever introduced to programming."

"A book on computer programing changed your life?"

"Yes, it taught me all the basics and got me started." He looked at me. "Have you ever had a book change your life?"

I thought for a moment. "Yes, but it wasn't exactly a book; it was an atlas." Q turned his body to face me and I leaned more towards him. "My grandfather owned this old, old atlas that I found in his attic once when my family went to Scotland on a visit. He let me take it home with me, and I used to sit for hours looking at places on the map and then researching them to try to learn all I could about that place. My bookshelf at home has all sorts of road atlases and world atlases."

"I'd like to see that sometime."

"I'd like to show you sometime."

For the next hour we wandered the shelves. Q told me different stories about customers that had come in and how the shop was the perfect place for him to escape the world when he felt rejected by his peers at school.

Before I knew it we had left the shop and were walking into my building. We stopped outside my door and I turned to face him. He reached up to tuck my hair behind my ears.

"I had a really wonderful time tonight." I told him.

"As did I."

He pulled me forward and pressed a kiss into my hair, and I wrapped my arms around him, breathing in his scent.

"You're enchanting, my dear," he whispered, and my grip around him tightened. I pulled back and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded and I walked inside. Once I had shut the door behind me I leaned up against it and threw my head back with a smile on my face.

 _Oh, what a night._


End file.
